Website: Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife
Contact Phone Number: (207) 287-8000
Address: 284 State Street – Augusta, ME 04333-0041
Email: Contact Form
Licenses: Purchase Here

Coyote Hunting Maine Laws & Regulations

Coyotes are defined as a furbearer in Maine.

Do you need a license to hunt coyotes in Maine? Hunting license is required. Small game license permits hunting of all legal species except deer, bear, moose, wild turkey, raccoon, and bobcat. Effective Jan 1, 2016, a small game license is valid for hunting wild turkey.

The Resident Junior Hunting License includes all hunting permits including muzzleloading, spring and fall turkey, bear, coyote night hunt and one expanded archery antlerless permit.

Can a non-resident hunt coyotes in Maine? Yes, with a small game license.

Is there a specified season for coyotes in Maine? Year round, no closed season. Night hunt runs from December 16th – August 31st.

Is there a bag limit for coyotes in Maine? No limit.

What are the legal hunting hours in Maine? Sunday hunting is illegal in Maine. Coyote – Daytime hunting hours, use this chart.

Hunting coyote during the coyote night hunting season (December 16 to August 31) is legal from ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise, and shall cease at midnight each Saturday and resume at 12:01 AM on Monday.

Are electronic game calls legal in Maine? Electronic calling devices are currently legal for deer, bear, turkey, moose, and coyote hunting. Electronic calling devices are illegal for migratory game birds.

Are decoys legal in Maine? Yes.

What firearms are approved/disapproved for coyotes in Maine? Wild animals and wild birds may be hunted only by the use of firearms (not larger than 10-gauge), hand-held bow and arrow, crossbow or by falconry. Deer and moose decoys are legal; laser sights (red dots or beam) for firearms and bows are legal.

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It is unlawful to hunt with or possess for hunting any automatic firearm (a firearm that continues to fire as long as the trigger is held back.)

It is unlawful to hunt with or possess for hunting any auto-loading firearm (a firearm which reloads itself after each shot and requires a separate trigger pull for each shot) which has a magazine capacity of more than 5 cartridges (plus 1 in the chamber for a total of 6), unless the magazine has been permanently altered to contain not more than 5 cartridges. (Note: This provision does not apply to .22 caliber rimfire guns or to auto-loading pistols with barrel lengths of less than 8 inches.)

Are suppressors allowed for hunting in Maine? No, It is unlawful to hunt with or possess for hunting any firearm fitted or contrived with any device for deadening the sound of the explosion without a permit.

§11214. Unlawful use or possession of implements or aids 1. Prohibition. A person may not: C. Use for hunting or possess for hunting any firearm fitted or contrived with a device for deadening the sound of explosion. This paragraph does not apply to: (1) Military organizations authorized by law to bear arms or to the National Guard in the performance of its duty.

Legal ammunition or restrictions for coyotes in Maine? It is unlawful to hunt with cartridges which contain tracer bullets or explosive bullets.

Are there regulations for possessing, transporting dead coyotes, or pelts across state lines? The skins of all beaver, bobcat, coyote, fisher, fox, marten, mink and otter must be tagged within 10 days after the end of the season on each species.

A person may not waste a wild bird or wild animal that has been wounded or killed while hunting. For purposes of this section “waste” means to intentionally leave a wounded or killed animal in the field or forest without making a reasonable effort to retrieve and render it for consumption or use. This law does not apply to coyotes.

There is a 25 cent tagging fee for each skin. (Note: The skins of all bobcats taken by hunting must be tagged within 72 hours from the time they were taken.) Tags must be attached to the skins of these furbearing animals before you are allowed to sell them, give them away, send them anywhere or take them anywhere. Skins of other furbearing animals (muskrat, opossum, raccoon, red squirrel, skunk and weasel) do not need to be tagged.

Is night hunting allowed in Maine? Yes, with a Coyote Night Hunting Permit $4.00: Required to hunt coyote at night from December 16 to August 31. Hunting under this permit is limited to ½ hour after sunset until ½ hour before sunrise and shall cease at midnight each Saturday and resume at 12:01a.m. on Monday.

Hunters must be in possession of an electronic, hand-held or mouth-operated predator calling device. Also see Hunting with Dogs on Tagging, Transportation & Registration. The fee for this permit is $4 (plus agent fee).

Artificial lights may be used. In addition, the commissioner may appoint agents to hunt for coyotes at night using artificial illumination from September 1st to December 15th. The Commissioner shall develop policies to make the affected public and affected law enforcement officers aware of any night hunting operation.

From September 1 to December 15, it is unlawful to use artificial lights from ½ hour after sunset until ½ hour before sunrise to illuminate, jack, locate, attempt to locate or show up wild animals or wild birds except raccoons which may be hunted at night with electric flashlights during the open season.

An exception to this may be made for agents appointed by the Commissioner to hunt coyotes at night during this period under policies established by the Department.

Are there specified weapons allowed for night in Maine? No special restrictions.

Can you hunt from a vehicle in Maine? It is unlawful to shoot while in or on a motor vehicle, motorboat, snowmobile or ATV or have a loaded firearm or crossbow while in or on a motor vehicle, trailer, or other type of vehicle being hauled by a motor vehicle except as specifically allowed.

A loaded clip may be carried in a motor vehicle, but it must not be inserted in, or attached to, a firearm; a crossbow may be carried as long it is not cocked and armed; a muzzleloader is considered to be loaded only if charged with powder, projectile and a primed ignition device or mechanism.

Can baiting be used to hunt coyotes in Maine? A person placing bait for hunting purposes must:

• Obtain oral or written permission from the landowner or landowner’s agent
• Plainly label the bait with a 2-inch by 4-inch tag containing the name and address of the baiter
• Clean up the bait site immediately upon landowner request, or if not requested, within 20 days of the last day the site is hunted
• A person may NOT hunt over another person’s bait site without the baiter’s permission

Can dogs be used to hunt coyotes in Maine? A person may not hunt with a dog in pursuit of bear, coyote or bobcat unless the dog has a collar that legibly provides the name, telephone number and address of the owner of that dog.

A person or persons may not use more than 6 dogs at any one time to hunt coyotes or bobcats.

A person may not use a dog to hunt coyotes during the period from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.

Is there a bounty program in Maine? Not at this time.

This information is for informational purposes only. This website has no affiliation with any department of the above mentioned state. For your own safety please contact your local office to verify the information presented. CoyoteHunting101.com is not responsible for your own stupidity.